Patient Experience
My 82-year-old mother, visiting from Germany, developed a sudden high fever and confusion. At midnight, we rushed to Acibadem. Dr. Özkan Uysal was on call. He didn't just treat a fever; he treated my *mother*. He spoke to her slowly in clear Turkish, held her hand to check her pulse, and within an hour had diagnosed a severe urinary tract infection that had begun to affect her kidneys. His approach was a perfect blend of cutting-edge internal medicine and old-fashioned, compassionate care. He coordinated with the nephrology team, explained every step to me in English, and visited her three times the next day. She made a full recovery. He wasn't just a doctor that night; he was our guardian angel.
As a 28-year-old expat with a history of vague, unexplained fatigue and joint pains dismissed by other doctors as 'stress,' I booked a routine checkup with Dr. Uysal. I expected the usual 10-minute consultation. Instead, he spent 45 minutes mapping my entire health history like a detective. He noticed a pattern I'd missed—symptoms flaring after certain meals. He ordered very specific, non-routine blood tests for food intolerances and mild autoimmune markers. The diagnosis? A previously undetected non-celiac gluten sensitivity and a borderline vitamin D deficiency that was impacting my immune system. His holistic, investigative approach in internal medicine solved a two-year mystery. He gave me a dietary plan, not just a prescription. I've gotten my life back.
Our 6-year-old son, Leo, had a complex medical history from birth (premature, with minor cardiac follow-up). When he spiked a fever that wouldn't break with standard pediatric care, our pediatrician recommended Dr. Uysal for an internal medicine perspective. Dr. Uysal has a magical way with children. He got down on his knee, examined Leo's 'superhero heart' with his stethoscope, and made it a game. He identified that what seemed like a simple virus was actually complicating Leo's underlying, subtle cardiac rhythm issue—something a generalist might have missed. He worked seamlessly with the pediatric cardiologist at Acibadem, acting as the vital communicator between specialties. He treated the whole child, not just the chart. We are so grateful for his meticulous, interdisciplinary care.
I was the 'complex case' no one could figure out: 45-year-old male with episodic severe abdominal pain, normal scans, and a growing pile of inconclusive specialist reports. I saw Dr. Uysal as a last resort before seeking treatment abroad. He did something remarkable: he started from zero. He ignored the previous assumptions, re-interviewed me, and physically examined me with extraordinary attention during a pain-free period. He pinpointed a specific tenderness others had overlooked. His hypothesis? A rare form of abdominal migraine and visceral hypersensitivity. He proposed a very structured, low-dose medication regimen combined with a stress-logging protocol. It wasn't an instant cure, but for the first time, it was a coherent, manageable path forward. His willingness to challenge the puzzle and his calm, confident management of uncertainty gave me hope I'd lost.